Today we’d like to introduce you to Ray Ballard.
Ray, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Started Homebrewing in 1991 after discovering Samuel Adams. I found out Jim Koch brewed the early test batches of Samuel Adams in his kitchen, and I was hooked. I homebrewed for years before opening my first brewery in Connecticut. After that I returned to the area I grew up in went to Nursing school and was a practicing nurse for 10 years. I really wanted back in the brewing industry, so I started Y Bridge Brewing Company in 2017.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The first obstacle was finding a building suitable for a brewery in a small town. Two years later, I found the building and secured financing. We had slow but steady growth until COVID hit. I wheeled my coolers over to the side door of my taproom and had a makeshift drive thru and people would buy beer to go. It was difficult, but I managed to stay in business.
As you know, we’re big fans of Y Bridge Brewing Company. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a craft brewery with wholesale distribution and a tap room. We are focused on making fresh, clean tasting beers. Our flagship beer is a Blood Orange Wheat. The tap room has its own special vibe. We are pet friendly and have 3 cats that entertain our guests and have kept us pest free.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think we’ll see modest growth over the next few years, but not like it was. There are lots of different types of beverages (RTD’s seltzer), and that will take a piece of the market. Recent market volatility makes it difficult to predict what is going happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ybridgebrewing.com
